Speech by Aristos Damianou, AKEL Political Bureau member at the presentation of the European Parliamentary Candidate List in Larnaca

 

29 March 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

“I believe that the first act of justice is the proper distribution of bread, I believe that progress means first and foremost increasing the production of bread for all, I believe that our first duty is peace”.

It is a pity – regrettably true – that today’s government ruling forces have never read Ritsos. A real pity that the leaders of today’s EU have a contrary view of what the communist poet Ritsos considers as “first justice”.

Because their “justice” is war.

Because their “justice” is the looting carried out by the banks as for them “justice” is the accumulation of wealth.

But all of us and thousands of others out there, millions of others in the streets of France, Greece, Germany, Spain, will continue to struggle, will continue to assert our own “first justice”.

And our struggle starts from here too.

From Larnaca, the city of the Four anti-fascist Heroes of the working class neighbourhood of Agios Ioannis.

From the Larnaca of resistance to the coup d’état of 15 July 1974 and the defence of democracy.

From Larnaca where AKEL’s imprint – after almost a century – can lead to victory in the 9 June elections. And it will signal victory. And we will win these elections. To set sail again to assert our own “first justice”.

Dear friends and comrades,

We are here today to present the European electoral list of AKEL – LEFT – SOCIAL ALLIANCE.

The first European election list which since 2019 has been reflecting the bicommunal element of our people. The first candidate list that put into practice the gender balance between men and women.  The candidate list that reflects the political identity of AKEL with the broadest opening to society.

Six people, competent and honest, who together form a strong team that makes a difference. Which, combined with our positions, proposals, demands and achievements throughout these 20 years in the European Parliament, are a guarantee that with persistency, dynamism and hard work, the people, citizens will elevate AKEL back where it deserves, where it is entitled to be, where the Cypriot people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, need it – The leading force and protagonist in the political and social struggles of our homeland. A force of assertion in the European Parliament. With two MEPs and with increased electoral percentages.

Dear friends,

The Cypriot Right, adopting the propaganda of the European Right, is deliberately transmitting two destructive claims. The first is the propaganda concerning the “two extremes”. On the one hand is the left, they claim, and on the other the far right. There is no more vulgar approach than this concept.

The Left in Cyprus has been struggling for democracy, freedom, rights, social justice for almost a century. The far right, which until a few years ago was as a whole housed within the ranks of DISY, is flesh and blood of the sinful Cypriot Right. DISY provided political cover to the coupists, it elected perjurers to Parliament and elevated the thug Grivas to the status of a hero. After all, they stand side by side when they lay wreaths every year at Grivas’ monument in Limassol.

Besides, recent developments have confirmed the self-evident. Namely, that the same womb gave birth to them. The former first vice-President of DISY party, Mr. Pelekanos, left DISY to join the ranks of the far-right ELAM party. And instead of DISY reflecting on its policy of building bridges with the far right, its only concern is that AKEL will benefit [from this move]. That is their plight and not that it appears the Cypriot neo-fascists will – unfortunately – be represented in the European Parliament tomorrow.

All these years when all the other political parties were in league with ELAM only AKEL remained steadfast on principles, only AKEL refused to normalise the far right. AKEL openly confronted the Golden Dawn of Cyprus, while other forces and circles were telling us that they supposedly had rights because people had voted for them. The Nazis were also citizens who became a regime, but remained fascists. Well, the Cypriot neo-Nazis, the Cypriot far right, were employed by DISY and that’s how Anastasiades got elected [with all the votes of ELAM]. Christodoulides was also elected with ELAM’s votes, when the candidate supported by AKEL Mavroyiannis refused to even meet them.

And it is ELAM that determined the outcome of the vote in Parliament, which saw DISY President Anita Demetriou elected to the post of President of Parliament, who today supposedly remembered that ELAM is her opponent. Too late! She is ten years late.

The second destructive claim is the assertion that we as the Left, are supposedly Eurosceptics. Nothing could be further from the truth. The opposite is true. Because we think, we therefore assert. We don’t just accept what is being served up to us. With people at the centre of our attention and as our compass, we do not ignore the erroneous state and anti-social policies promoted by unelected directorates in the EU.

We cannot ignore the fact that today, European societies are being shaken by the economic and social consequences of successive crises, by the deregulation of labour relations, by the dismantling of the welfare state, by the attacks being waged by neoliberalism on people’s rights and gains that until yesterday were taken for granted.

We cannot ignore the fact that today 95 million Europeans live at risk of poverty, 20 million of them children.

We cannot ignore the energy and food crisis. The fact that basic food prices are rising up to seven times faster than wages.

That one in ten European citizens spend almost half their income on housing.

That the number of homeless people in the EU has increased by 70% in recent years.

That the prices of energy, fuel and electricity bills have skyrocketed, largely as a result of the war in Ukraine that is being sustained so that the US and EU military industries can sell arms.

We cannot overlook the fact that the banks in Europe – in Cyprus too – are recording unprecedented record profits, which they are literally stealing from the economy and society thanks to the policies pursued by the European Central Bank.

That, with the blessing of the political parties except AKEL, they have promoted the foreclosures of primary homes and small commercial enterprises, through inhumane and illegal legislation, in a destructive and uncritical manner.

All this confirms our assessment of the character of the policies being implemented. Policies determined by the ruling right-wing forces in Europe. These are the beliefs of the Right. At the same time, these problems confirm the relevance of our vision, our alternative proposal, the different Europe we want and are asserting.

We want and are asserting a Europe of social justice, of modern social rights for the working people of both manual and intellectual labour, for the young generation, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, the whole of the people, that is, the people who earn their living with their work and their labour.

So this isn’t Euroscepticism – but rather Euro-vigilance. It is an assertion for another Europe, which must be made possible, however difficult that may seem today. After all, we have never taken the easy path of struggle. Because nothing is ever granted. Everything is won through struggle and assertion.

We have always considered the EU as another arena of struggle and assertion, and yes in a difficult political environment for the forces of the left. For the forces that are not comfortable with the given conditions and are fighting for better and fairer days.

Dear friends, tonight we continue our Party’s march addressing society in view of the 9 June elections for the European Parliament. We march with optimism, dynamism and confidence.

All these years we have been asserting dignified wages and pensions, permanent and full time jobs, and the extension of collective agreements.

We assert dignified and affordable housing for all.

We assert modern social policies and infrastructures for working parents.

Cheap electricity and energy prices affordable for every household.

Drastic measures to curb price hikes.

We assert that the windfall profits of the banks and energy companies be taxed and that this revenue be used to finance major social programmes and far-reaching social policies. Instead of fragmented limited policies, charity handouts of EUR 50 and EUR 100, as the government ruling forces are doing now.

We are asserting a Europe of human rights and civil liberties, not the curbing of rights, the promotion of police state policies, illegal surveillance software and the militarisation of the EU.

We assert a Europe of peace and solidarity. Not an EU that bypasses international law, even the violation of its own founding principles, in order to serve a cynical “realpolitik” that spews militarism and is stained with blood – whether in Syria, sometimes in Lebanon, sometimes in Libya and always, but also right now in heroic Palestine.

We are asserting in Europe where justice is strengthened so that we can reunite our country and people. Half a century of division and occupation is a lifetime. And those who talk about vague and dangerous solutions and those who talk about waging new long-term struggles should receive a paid response.

From the bleeding from the abomination/flag of the pseudo-state on the visible occupied Pendadactylos mountain range.

From occupied Famagusta that endures and waits.

From a divided Nicosia.

We have had enough of the exploitation of patriotic sentiments because we are on the verge of partition.

But to assert the strengthening of international law, we here in Cyprus and especially Mr Christodoulides must respect it when it concerns others, as in this case the Palestinian people. And instead of engaging in warm embraces with the criminal Netanyahu, who should be tried for committing the genocide of the Palestinian people, the President of Cyprus must stand up for principles.

Unfortunately, he is following the same policies as his political father, Nicos Anastasiades.

Dear friends, all of us and many thousands of us out there are the force that is pushing our society forward. This is the role and mission of AKEL. This is what we have been serving all along. With a strong electoral list. With Giorgos Georgiou, Anna Theologou, Stavri Kalopsidiotou, Andros Karagiannis, Niyazi Kizilyurek, Melani Steliou, we continue on this good and beautiful path, the path of struggle and assertion. In Cyprus for Europe, in Europe for Cyprus.

Forward, comrades and friends, now is the time.

The time to send the message. Both here in Cyprus and in Brussels too.

The message that our people deserve better days.

The message that our Cyprus deserves better days.

The message that the peoples of Europe deserve another Europe. A Europe of the peoples and not of the multinationals.

A Europe of peace and not of war. A Europe of solidarity and not of exploitation.

So let’s go, tonight and tomorrow and every day until 9 June, lets devote all our energy into the battle, into this beautiful struggle to restore hope, to restore the perspective.

With AKEL at the forefront, with our ideas and positions as our flag, we are optimistic that the time of victory has come. A victory of progress at the expense of conservatism. A victory that will not only be a victory for AKEL and the Left, but will be a victory for the people, for the working people. It will be the victory of the many.

So forward, let’s struggle strong!

Because we are a force of assertion!

Because we are a Force for Peace!

Because we are a Force for Progress and Justice!

We are confident in victory!